Author Topic: Spectators  (Read 8703 times)

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GoGoGo

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Spectators
« on: February 07, 2011, 06:29:26 AM »
Is there anything is the Rule book to support the ejection or 15 yard unsportsmanlike foul on a team because of the behavior of one of its fans? Fed rules. This mainly concerns Pop Warner football.

Offline HLinNC

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #1 on: February 07, 2011, 09:31:16 AM »
No

Grant - AR

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #2 on: February 07, 2011, 10:51:42 AM »
Is there anything is the Rule book to support the ejection or 15 yard unsportsmanlike foul on a team because of the behavior of one of its fans? Fed rules. This mainly concerns Pop Warner football.

With Pop Warner type football (if the fan really gets out of hand), I think your best bet is to ignore the fan and report it to whoever is in charge of the officials or the league.  Unless he comes down on the sideline or onto the field, the best thing you can do is leave it alone.  If he comes to the sideline or the field, you can have him removed...if there is any security at the game site.  The coach should be willing to help calm the person down or at least ask him to leave.

Offline TxGrayhat

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2011, 12:05:55 PM »
In the Local Youth Soccer League  If the crowds are a problem. The Coach of that team Gets carded happens again Coach is ejected. Usually resulting in contest being over..   
If you don't see the Football Don't Blow the Whistle!!!

Offline JasonTX

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2011, 12:14:31 PM »
I could see some idiot fan dressing in the opposing team colors and going to their side and causing some issues if there were rules that could draw a foul against that team.

Grant - AR

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2011, 12:37:16 PM »
I could see some idiot fan dressing in the opposing team colors and going to their side and causing some issues if there were rules that could draw a foul against that team.

I was thinking the same thing.   ::)

Offline AlUpstateNY

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2011, 02:40:35 PM »
More often than not, when something hits the fan at a Pop Warner level game, rergardless whose area that something belongs in, we wind up with a larger share of clean up than we may deserve.  There are times things simply require that someone act like "the adult" and motivate those in charge to step up to their responsibilities.  If doing so prevents something from hitting that fan, we are all that much better off.

In general, spectators are absolutely not our responsibility and should be totally ignored whenever possible, UNLESS what they might be doing seriously threatens what we are trying to do.  If it becomes necessary that either a certain behavior stop, or the game itself stop, we have control of the game. The slightest suggestion that whatever might be going on could cause the game to be interruped, or even ended, is usually sufficient to motivate game management to rise to the occassion and take the appropriate action to eliminate the threat.

Involvement can easily boil down to a choice of a little involvement early, or a lot of heartache later on.   

Offline InsideTheStripes

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2011, 08:22:41 PM »
The youth league in which I work (NFHS rules with superseding league rules) allows us to penalize a team for the behavior of their fans.  It goes as USC against the head coach.  If it happens a second time, the coach is gone.

In practice I've never seen it happen.  Since in this league the HC is responsible for his players, his assistants, and his fans, the normal protocol is notify the coach that he needs to control his fans.  The reminder allows him to take care of the problem.  Usually they are able to talk the offender down or have them removed.

It works pretty well.  I've never seen a clandestine plant working the opposing sideline to get calls.  If it were to happen I imagine the coach would just inform the officials that the offender isn't affiliated with the team and the officials would just have the offender removed without penalty.

LarryW60

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2011, 09:06:24 AM »
This is only going to really be an issue at youth games as that's where the fans are as close to the field as basketball fans are to their game.  Fortunately the youth league we work with strongly supports the officials and doesn't look kindly on abuse from the fans.  Coaches for the most part know who the fans are behind their bench and can identify strangers amongst them.  Each field area has a game administrator during any game set (usually a head coach from a non-playing team) that has the authority to remove any fan that refuses to behave and usually has the local police on speed-dial should the fan refuse to comply.  (The fan is declared to be "trespassing" and must leave the premises or be arrested.)  So we really don't need to flag the fans.  We'll just stop the game, talk to the coach on that sideline, and the problem is usually resolved within minutes.  The parents on that side of the field can bring an incredible amount of pressure on a nimrod that's holding up "little Johnny's" game.
 eAt&

Offline GAHSUMPIRE

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Re: Spectators
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2011, 10:22:14 AM »
The youth league I work also has rules that address this. Officials have the ability to flag the head coach for these situations. The flags count as a 15 yd USC. 2 of these and the coach is ejected. Each ejection carries a $500 fine to the Association for whom that coach works. The money raised goes to a scholarship fund.

Rather than flag this though, in most cases we talk to the coach and they will handle it or have the fan removed. Each park that we work has a representative of that asociation and a police officer present. In some cases, we will go directly to the association representative, and have them remove the offender. In rare cases the police officer is called upon to escort the individual out of the park.

There are times when fans can get out of line, but for the most part it is handled quickly and without too much of a problem. The way this league is set up everyone pretty much knows who is on their side and who is not, so having someone dress in other colors would be a remote possibility at best.

The problems we have had in the past have not really been in the stands, I have had more problems with chain crews. And since the home team provides the chain crew, they have been moved to the press box (home team) side of the field. It doesn't make them any better chain crews, but it eliminates some of the issues that had been occurring since the head coach is usually near them and can keep them in check.